Sunday 5 May 2019

Learn the DNA Today.


The Mystery of The DNA.
The DNA or Deoxyribonucleic Acid is something many of us have heard of though few really understand. For that matter, I am writing this to remedy that. Here are some basics:
 1) It is found in the nucleus of a cell, so that means a human being who is a multi-cellular being, you have it in nearly every cell, so do plants and animals and uni-cellular beings like bacteria and every other living thing with the exception of some viruses.

To best understand it, let us story tell: imagine you are walking down a winding road, as you complete a curve you see a big beautiful mansion. It’s startlingly white. You walk up to the big mahogany door and push. It swings in smoothly, as if it weighs nothing. Inside is a big table with all kinds of appliances. Everything is a tool for making something, but two things immediately draw your attention. A big glass container with a bright green liquid and a massive book with a glossy black cover that is as smooth as fur. When you open it you are surprised to see that it is in good clear English with gold calligraphic letters. The book has 46 chapters and is divided into 20,000 sections. In each section there are directions on how to build something and in addition there is more than one option on how to build that thing. For example step 1, options a, b ,c… step 2, option a, b, c…., and so on. Excitedly you get to work. The orders are clear and precise, what should be mixed with what, and all the other ways you can do it. All you require is right there in your reach. So you follow them all step by step, choosing options randomly. If on step 1 you chose a, on step 2 you choose h and step 3, r and so on. When you are done, you are requested to put what you have built in the glass container, and wait for a few minutes. The surprising thing is that after all the work you have done; you have tackled only a small part of the book. Suddenly the color changes and out of the container comes - well anything.

The point of the story is not what you create but how you create it, so pay attention here. That big beautiful book is your cell nucleus and that well written and eligible message in gold letters is your DNA. That means DNA is simply information. It contains orders on how to build everything that is you. This includes hair type and color, skin color, eye color and so on.  The DNA is a double helix strand that is about 1.8m long (imagine a very long ladder). It is tightly coiled up to make it small so as to fit in your cell nucleus. This coiled version is called a chromosome. There are 46 chromosomes in every human cell, apart from the gamete cells (sperm and ova). Which have 23 chromosomes each, which add up upon fertilization to make 46. There are a few other cells that do not have a nucleus therefore no DNA, other than those every other cell is carrying your genetic blueprint (there are about 3 trillion cells in your body). The entire DNA is divided into 20,000 genes. A gene is that part of the DNA that deals with a specific thing e.g. eye color, skin color and so on. Just imagine a section in a book that is explaining how to build a specific thing, but you are given many different ways on how to build it, that section in relation to the book is a gene. The info is carried on a ladder like form (double helix structure) made up of four nitrogen bases that is: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T). Imagine a ladder standing on a wall, those steps (rudders) that you use to climb are the bases. They are joined together in the middle, in other words for each rudder there are two bases. That means if you are to divide the ladder right in the middle that is top to bottom.  The sequence of the bases on one side of the ladder would be something like ATCGGCT and that is how the info is stored. For example ATCGGCT can mean a light skin, while ATGCGCTA a dark skin. This ladder form is how the DNA is capable of carrying a lot of info.                    In addition just like in a book if someone wrote a wrong recipe for something you are building. Whatever you build will be faulty. So also is the DNA, all the problems we are having today like cancer, some mental illnesses, most of the heart diseases can be traced back to faulty DNA (information).
            Today we are having scientists (genetic engineers) who are perfecting gene splicing,  a technique of removing unwanted genes from the DNA. We are now facing questions like is it okay to open up the DNA and ‘erase’ that part that can lead to different sorts of illnesses in the future?
This is but a bull’s eye view of this science. Today scientists can read it like a book, and they are capable of erasing parts of DNA especially the faulty ones. We are now having questions like is it okay to open up the DNA and ‘erase’ that part that can lead to different sorts of illnesses in the future.? Shouldn’t it also be fine if a parent decides that they want a specific eye color or skin color for their children to do the same operation? What if I want my child to be smarter, faster and the best looking person on this Earth? What is wrong with that?
If you are wondering whether this is possible, yes it is. Today we are having scientists (genetic engineers) who are perfecting that. Gene splicing is a technique of removing unwanted genes from the DNA. In addition they can read human history from how our DNA has mutated over the ages. That means they can find out who your grandparents were 10 centuries ago. It is especially on this that our present theory of evolution is hinged. The fact that most DNA today shows that we all descend from similar parents who once lived in Africa (East Africa to be exact). As it is commonly said, if you go back far enough into the past you will find out that we are all cousins.

All this shows the perfection of creation, with the human standing at the apex of that class. If St. Thomas Aquinas had known this, am sure he could have included it in his reasons to support God’s existence. Such perfection cannot surely be all due to chance. If indeed God exists, He is in the DNA.

Facts;
  1. ·        . Human Beings share 99% of DNA with other humans (only 0.1% differetiates us), 95% with baboons and 50% with a banana.
  2. ·       Ancient viruses that used to attack us now make up 8% of our DNA.
  3. ·       2 grams of our DNA can carry all the information in our world today. 1gm can carry 700TBs.


A closer view of the strand clearly showing the ladder like structure
of the strand. Each of those rudders are two bases joined together.
 
 



A broader view of the view of a DNA strand.





By.
Amanyire Daniel, MCCJ 

Monday 16 April 2018

Sr. Pauline Farewell Speech

The Administration, Members of the Staff, Formators, students and Support Staff, good afternoon to you all.

Bidding farewell is difficult. of  course there is something new to look forward to, but what you are leaving behind also matters and makes you wonder whether you will ever find this kind of friendship and relationship.

I am grateful to God who has given me good health that has enabled me to serve PCJ for the last 12 years. I am also grateful to the former Rectors and the current one, for the opportunity given me to serve here. Thank you for the faith and trust you put in me to serve PCJ. I enjoyed my work because of the good atmosphere availed to me during my service. Thanks a lot to you dear students, for the cooperation accorded to me in the areas we worked together.

When I came in the year 2000, it is only Mr. Osedde who was here who is still here ( students applause). The rest of you have found me here. I have seen many people come and go and it is always good for any well wisher to see the people you have known and journeyed with prospering  in life. I have worked with many people from the different congregations present here at the PCJ, and if I am to mention them all, you would think I am teaching "Introduction to Ancient Philosophy".

My life here has been enriched by the many people I have worked and interacted with. I am leaving here with a wealth of knowledge that I will always treasure. I want you to know that you are all very special and precious to me and I will genuinely miss you. I will cherish the memories of PCJ. Thank you everyone. This world is small and we may not know where we shall meet tomorrow.

As I leave the biggest portion of my heart remains here at PCJ. Even though I am leaving I cant tell you how difficult it is to describe it. When I came here I would never have realized how connected and attached i would be to such a warm and loving family.
I will not promise to communicate to you often but I will keep in touch.

On 5th March I will wake up in my new life. At my age I have to adjust to new people, new climate, and a new environment but change is always good for our growth and to experience new things in  life.

I am going to Kenya to The East of the Rift Valley Region, which has communities in Nakuru, Nairobi, Machakos, Kitui, Embu and Meru Dioceses. So I will get my appointment from my Regional Superior in Nairobi.
once I have got my appointment, I will tell you where I have been posted.

Sr. Flavia is new to the job and she only needs your patience and cooperation and she will deliver.

So once again a big thank you to you all and may God bless you.

(Franciscan Blessing) The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you PEACE.
Sr. Pauline (left) and the incoming Sr. Flavia.



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Franciscan Blessing

Friday 16 February 2018

PCJ CULTURAL DAY 2017-2018

                          CULTURAL DAY

WHAT ALIVELY ASTONISHING DAY.
The cultural day ceremony of this year was such an enrichingly memorable event. I went to the function with an anticipated attention to learn and enjoy the cultural diversity of each cultural item hailing from particular cultures to many impression. The various performances offered a brilliant embodiment of the various themes presented. Themes presented ranged from witchcraft, tradition ways of worship,prayer to the ancestors, rise of conflicts, funeral rites, circumcision, courtship and marriage ceremonies, traditional dances, harvesting ceremonies, sharing of meat after hunting and there was one interesting item about giving petty names among the Batoro.
One of the aims of the education program here at the PCJ, is to create a great awareness of our cultural values and the need to preserve them. Hence; desirable distinction was made in each presentation to show the diversity in African cultures. All this backed by the “internationality” dimension that dwells in all the communities that form the PCJ family. This queming event reminded whoever attended the function on the aspect of interculturality and the aspect of missionaries living and working in cultures other than their home.  In essence all this depicted the communitarian aspect of the social life of Africans.
Equally important, each formation house presented with credible splendour, the essential themes common in African societies. In each performance, there was a new theme quite distinct from another. In brief, the cultural day celebration of this year 2018, was a great ceremonious display of the unique beauty of African cultures. The occasion called the PCJ family to a world from which knowledge on different African cultures was proficiently celebrated.

JOHN KAROLI MAFRA.

It was such a privilege to have another cultural day where all the PCJ communities participated by presenting various aspects in different cultures. let us have a look on what happened in pictures.